What is pulmonary arterial hypertension?
PAH falls under a broader term, pulmonary hypertension (PH), which is used to describe high blood pressure in the lungs.
PAH is just one of the causes of PH. Others can include:
- Heart disease
- Lung disease, like COPD or Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).
PAH is a complicated disease, and the medical information about it can sometimes be hard to understand. It simply means the tubes (arteries) that carry blood from your heart to your lungs get narrow or blocked.
This makes it harder for your blood to carry oxygen to your lungs and the rest of your body. It also puts extra pressure on your arteries, so your heart has to work overtime to pump the blood. Over a long time, this can tire out your heart and cause serious problems.
How your heart and lungs work together
Oxygen is like fuel for your body. Every part of you, from your muscles to your brain, needs oxygen to work properly and stay healthy. Without enough oxygen, your body can’t do the things it needs to do.
Your heart is made up of four parts or chambers, two on each side. The right side of your heart sends blood to your lungs. In your lungs, the blood picks up oxygen. It then goes to the left side of your heart, where it pumps the oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.
The pressure needed to push blood from the right side of your heart to your lungs is called pulmonary pressure. When you’re healthy, this pressure is low and blood flows easily.
If you have PAH, the pressure in your lungs is high. This means that your heart has to work much harder to pump blood, which puts strain on it over time. Because of this, your body doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood.
How common is PAH?
PAH is rare. It affects around 1 in every 200,000 people. It can affect anyone, male or female, of any age or background. It’s very rare to have PAH as a child.
What can I expect?
Everyone experiences PAH differently. It’s a progressive disease, which means it usually worsens over time. However, treatments can slow down the disease. The information and resources about PAH and our support services can help you to live your best life.
Helpful resources
Travel and pulmonary hypertension
The travel and pulmonary hypertension (PH) webinar is presented by Dr Helen
Excercise pulmonary arterial hypertension
Join Lung Foundation Australia, Helen Seale (Clinical Consultant Physiotherapist) and Shauna Watt
Medications for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Join Lung Foundation Australia and Tracy Tse (Respiratory Pharmacy Team Leader) for
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